Wednesday paid their "visit of
digestion." Wednesdays were gala days: the assembly was numerous; guests
and visitors appeared in fiocchi; some women brought their sewing,
knitting, or worsted work; the young girls were not ashamed to make
patterns for the Alencon point lace, with the proceeds of which they
paid for their personal expenses. Certain husbands brought their wives
out of policy, for young men were few in that house; not a word could be
whispered in any ear without attracting the attention of all; there was
therefore no danger, either for young girls or wives, of love-making.

Every evening, at six o'clock, the long antechamber received its
furniture. Each habitue brought his cane, his cloak, his lantern. All
these persons knew each other so well, and their habits and ways were
so familiarly patriarchal, that if by chance the old Abbe de Sponde was
lying down, or Mademoiselle Cormon was in her chamber, neither Josette,
the maid, nor Jacquelin, the man-servant, nor Mariette, the cook,
informed them. The first comer received the second; then, when the
company were sufficiently numerous for whist, piquet, or boston,
they began the game without awaiting either the Abbe de Sponde or
mademoiselle. If it was dark, Josette or Jacquelin would hasten to light
the candles as soon as the first bell rang. Seeing the salon lighted up,
the abbe would slowly hurry to come down. Every evening the backgammon
and the piquet tables, the three boston tables, and the whist table were
filled,--which gave occupation to twenty-five or thirty persons; but
as many as forty were usually present. Jacquelin would then light the
candles in the other rooms.

Between eight and nine o'clock the servants began to arrive in the
antechamber to accompany their masters home; and, short of a revolution,
no one remained in the salon at ten o'clock. At that hour the guests
were departing in groups along the street, discoursing on the game, or
continuing conversations on the land they were covetous of buying, on
the terms of some one's will, on quarrels among heirs, on the haughty
assumption of the aristocratic portion of the community. It was like
Paris when the audience of a theatre disperses.

Certain persons who talk much of poesy and know nothing about it,
declaim against the habits of life in the provinces. But put your
forehead in your left hand, rest one foot on the fender, and your elbow
on your knee; then, if you compass the idea of this